Lab Director
Dr. Federica Bulgarelli (she/her)
I am an Assistant Professor in the departments of Psychology and Learning and Instruction at the University at Buffalo. I first became interested in language development and bilingualism when I took a Communication Science and Disorders course in college and was able to put names to the experiences I remembered from learning English after moving to the US in middle school. I received my Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University in 2018, and was a postdoc at Duke University prior to starting at UB.
Lab Managers
Jiya Gupta
I am from Mumbai, India and I graduated from UC San Diego in June 2025, with a double major in Developmental Psychology and Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience. My research interests revolve around children’s language acquisition, pragmatic inferences, and norm learning. Outside the lab, I love exploring the city, painting, and trying new recipes!
Marina Rabideau (she/her)
I am from the Rochester, NY area and graduated from SUNY Geneseo in May 2023 with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Human Development! I enjoy doing anything artsy- especially drawing, painting, and photography. I will be attending George Mason University in Fall 2025 to study Applied Developmental Psychology!
Graduate Students
Marzie Samimifar
I am from Esfahan, Iran. I earned my M.A. in Linguistics, focusing on psycholinguistics and bilingualism. Currently, I’m a Ph.D. student at UB, on the way to learning and enjoying a new chapter of my life. I usually spend my free time painting, listening to music, and walking.
Giselle Yao (she/her)
I am originally from Zunyi, China. I earned my M.S. in Developmental Psychology from Tulane University and my B.S. in Psychology from the University of Macau. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, going to the gym, listening to music, and playing the cello.
Research Assistants
Evia Zhang
I am originally from Rochester, NY but my family moved to San Diego, CA a few years ago! I have a B.A. in Cognitive Science and my interests include design, playing the guitar, and reading. My favorite author is Ocean Vuong!
Stephani Mejia
I am from Westchester, NY. I am a senior at UB majoring in Psychology and minoring in Counseling. In my free time I like to swim, paint, and spend time with my sisters/friends. In the future I would like to work in child psychology!
Gabi Filipski
I am from Buffalo, NY and I am a senior at UB, double majoring in Psychology and Sociology, minoring in Criminology and Counseling. I’m also excited to be working on my honors thesis in the lab with Dr. Bulgarelli! In my free time, I work part-time at a restaurant in the city of Buffalo, go to the gym, and listen to music!
Gemma Barberio
I am a Buffalo native in my senior year. My major is speech and hearing sciences, with a minor in psychology. I’m interested in researching how children can develop language and music, and I plan to pursue a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. Outside of school, I work part-time at a day camp as a camp counselor. In my free time, I like to make jewelry and sing opera!
Rasoa Okioga
I am a senior at UB pursuing a double degree in Biomedical Sciences and Psychology. I am also an international student from Nairobi, Kenya, and am on the pre-med track. I enjoy reading, painting, binge-watching shows, and listening to music.
Anna Yatteau
I grew up in Rochester, NY. I am a junior psychology major, and my goal is to become a child and adolescent clinical psychologist in the future. My favorite activities are hiking, playing flute, and reading!
Juliana Barbieri
I am from Rochester, NY and I am a senior at UB majoring in Psychology. In my free time I like to go to the gym, listen to music, and read!
Guillermo Freeburg Rojas
My name is Guillermo and I am a Senior studying psychology. I was born in Concepción, Chile and lived there until I was 12. I’ve lived in Williamsville, New York ever since. In my free time I like riding my bike, reading, and spending time with mi polola. I would eventually like to become a Child Psychologist.
Alumni
Class of 2025
Evia Zhang (Dec. 2024)
Lilly Ganey
Loise Pador
Stephani Mejia
Class of 2024
Amanda Rissman
Brianna Siem
Maddie Lehmann
Past Members
Mariza Khalaf
Ebony Ngo
Riley Godwin
Sanai Sudlow
E. Wisdom Akinyele